The BMW 1 Series M Coupé was only built 6309 times. This means that every owner is a member of a small, exclusive family - and in future these individuals will be able to recognise each other at events etc. more easily by wearing a special polo shirt.

The Manager Design M Automobiles, Pierre Leclercq has created a polo shirt which is to be made available exclusively to the owners of the BMW 1 Series M Coupé. He presents it in the video (see above).

Pierre Leclercq, Manager Design M Automobiles

You will find the link for ordering the polo shirt at the end of this article.

Owner's name embroidered on the left-hand sleeve (the example shows the name of the designer)

Each of the Exclusive BMW 1 M Coupé Owner's Polo Shirts is made especially for the owner. On the left-hand sleeve it bears the name of the owner and on the back it shows the characteristic front view of the BMW 1 Series M Coupé. Here again the owner can make an individual choice when ordering the polo shirt: the embroidery can be created in any one of the three car paint finishes available: orange, black or white.

Rear view of the Exclusive BMW 1 M Coupé Owner's Polo shirt - in orange, black or white according to preference. (Click on photo to enlarge).

Back embroidery in orange, black or white

Back embroidery detail

Katrin Pöttinger, head of typography and graphic design at the BMW Automobile Design Studio, collaborated with Pierre Leclercq to create the two labels on the collar and side seam of the Exclusive BMW 1 M Coupé Owner's Polo Shirt.

The front and back of the side label (left and centre), label sewn into collar (right).

The high-quality polo shirt is made of a blend of 50% cotton and 50% synthetic fibre. This combination was selected since it provides excellent wear comfort, a lasting fit and colour fastness.

The following information is for owners of a BMW 1 Series M Coupé

The Exclusive BMW 1 M Coupé Owner's Polo Shirt is limited to one per vehicle.

When placing an order you must enter the complete 17-digit chassis number (VIN) of your BMW 1 Series M Coupé, which you will find in the vehicle documents or embossed in the engine compartment: please note down before placing your order online.

Chassis number (VIN) in the engine compartment of the BMW 1 Series M Coupé

Since each shirt is produced individually, delivery takes approx. six weeks and it is not possible to replace or return the shirt.

The Exclusive BMW 1 M Coupé Owner's Polo Shirt costs EUR 89.- including VAT and shipping. It can only be ordered online on this website. Payment is also made online via our partner PayPal; various modes of payment are available (a PayPal account is not required for this purpose).

Your order is processed by our service provider ECS Excellent Computer Systems GmbH.

Several days after placing your order you will receive an e-mail asking you to answer a number of questions. This also gives you the opportunity to directly influence the range and character of future M Automobiles.

Quite obvious that the real purpose is getting some sort of peer review direct marketing audience by repeating the "Honey, you're special, you know ?"-technique which was also used by the ///M marketing folks in 2010 + privacy info of those who currently drive the 1M (not necessary the buyers):

"The Exclusive BMW 1 M Coupé Owner's Polo Shirt costs EUR 89.- including VAT and shipping. It can only be ordered online on this website. Payment is also made online via our partner PayPal; various modes of payment are available (a PayPal account is not required for this purpose).
Your order is processed by our service provider ECS Excellent Computer Systems GmbH.
Several days after placing your order you will receive an e-mail asking you to answer a number of questions. This also gives you the opportunity to directly influence the range and character of future M Automobiles."

Not sure whether it's an OK move to get your name embroidered on the left sleeve. It ain't no karting or F1 overall belt. If you want to personalize it, then maybe limit it to your license plate, VIN, initials or "Chuck Norris". However, in my book "BMW ///M", "///M FOR ALL SEASONS", the engine label "POWERED BY BMW M" or simply no text at all, seems to be the better option. That way you can also do someone else a favor who cannot get it or who wants a second one (woot-woot, markup alert, markup alert... ).

The ///M label on the front of the polo shirt: hm, did they ever see the superior quality of the ///M label embroidered on the Jezzer 'Mats Man' ///M mats ?

Oops, the mandatory jet washers and windscreen wipers have disappeared.

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“For ’tis the mind that makes the body rich” (W. Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, Act 4, Scene 3)

I don't have any issues with the design of the shirt. I think it fits well with the spirit of the 1M which eschews the more restrained traditional Q car to boldly assert it's "M'ness" with the aggressive stance and aero-kit. I don't think a lot of wallflowers purchased 1Ms so we're pretty comfortable with wearing something that is a little more 'shouty' as long as it's tasteful (which I think this is in the right circumstances) and helps you identify fellow 1M'ers.

I, however, will not be buying one because it's insanely overpriced.

For most of us, locating, optioning, buying and waiting for the 1M was a huge ordeal. Because of its rarity, unless you jumped in early or lucked into a clueless dealer, it was very difficult to get any sort of incentive that is usually to be expected on most other M cars. I think BMW could have discounted or offered this shirt at cost to owners instead of trying to gouge us for what seems to be a triple digit markup (not sure how much a Polo shirt costs to make but it cant be $115 unless it's hand stitched by vestal virgins).

If some enterprising soul wants to design and offer an alternative for a reasonable price, I would be willing to consider.

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The 1 series M is the most badass, coolest, sickest BMW to debut since the 1988 M3. The E30 M3 finally has a successor. Please welcome the stupidly fast, wickedly tempered, awkwardly named, possibly perfect little son of a benchmark - Automobile Magazine, August 2011